The Israeli military announced on the 12th that it had rescued two men held hostage by the Islamic group Hamas in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Intense airstrikes were carried out in Rafah in the early hours of the morning, and local health authorities say 67 people have died so far, and there are concerns that the number of casualties among residents will increase further in the future.
The Israeli military, continuing military operations in the Gaza Strip, conducted a nighttime airstrike in the center of Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, and special forces rescued two Israeli men who had been held hostage by Hamas. It was announced on the 12th.
Regarding this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying, ``Only continued military pressure until complete victory will lead to the release of all hostages.''
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern satellite television stations such as Al Jazeera reported that there had been heavy airstrikes and shelling by the Israeli military in the early hours of the 12th, and health authorities in the Gaza Strip said that 67 people had been killed so far in the series of attacks. is.
A man living in Rafah City told NHK, ``Suddenly around 1 a.m., there was an airstrike, and I heard heavy gunfire.The last time there was an airstrike of this magnitude in Rafah City was in October last year. "This is the first time since the fighting began," he said.
Regarding ground operations against Rafah, Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered the military to formulate a plan that both evacuates residents and annihilates Hamas forces, and remains poised to carry out a forceful operation.
However, the United States, an ally of Israel, and Egypt, which is acting as a mediator in negotiations for the release of the hostages, have expressed concerns about the attack on Rafah, and if the Israeli military launches a large-scale ground operation in Rafah, it is likely that the residents will There are concerns that the number of victims will increase further in the future.